The ferryman and his family always arose at an early hour, and it was probably more from force of habit than for any other reason, for Joe and his mother were the only ones who did any work. The former kindled the fire and laid the table, while Dan and his father loafed around and watched them.

But on the morning following the events we have recorded in the last chapter, these two worthies had something to talk about, so they went out and sat under a tree on the bank of the river, and far enough away from the cabin to escape all danger of being overheard.

Joe and his mother, however, did not bother their heads about them, for they had their own affairs to talk over.

Joe was to enter upon his duties as game-warden that very day. Of course he was impatient to see his new home, and to get his hands upon some of those books that Mr. Warren had promised to lend him; but, above all, he was anxious to earn something for his mother. She needed a good long rest, and Joe was rejoiced to know that he would soon be in a position to give it to her.

A night's refreshing sleep had an astonishing effect upon Dan and his father. They did not talk or act much like the frightened man and boy we saw running along the road a few hours before. They were as brave as lions. Twelve thousand dollars in bills and three hundred dollars in gold were well worth working for, and they repeatedly assured each other that they were willing to face any danger in order to obtain them for their own.

But there was one thing that Dan held to in spite of all the appeals and arguments that his father could bring to bear upon him, and that was, that the hant must be met and overcome, or outwitted, as circumstances might seem to require, by their united forces. He wasn't going philandering away in one direction, while his father went on a wild-goose chase in another, because that wasn't the way to fight ghosts.

"Then we'll stick together," said Silas, at length. "We'll hang around the house till that Joe of our'n goes away, and then we'll fire off our guns and load 'em up with heavier charges of shot, so't we'll be ready for anything that comes along."

"I did want powerful bad to live up there in the woods this winter with that Joe," said Dan, with something like a sigh of regret. "What he's going to get he's sure of, but we ain't. I am going into this thing to win, I tell you," he added, sticking out his lips and calling a very reckless and determined look to his face. "I ain't a-going to let no little brother of mine beat me. When I get started for that there money, I'm going to have it before I turn back."

"That's the way to talk," said Silas, approvingly.

"Joe's going to give all he earns to mam, but I ain't," continued Dan. "I am going to spend all my six thousand dollars for myself. I'm going to have good clothes, and a breech-loading bird gun, and a j'inted fishing-pole, and by this time next summer I'll be so much of a gentleman that the folks who come here to hunt and fish will be glad to hire me for a guide, 'cause they won't know that I am Dan Morgan at all. They'll take me for somebody else."

"Course they will!" exclaimed Silas, bringing his heavy hand down upon Dan's shoulder with such force that the boy shook all over. "Just bear that in mind, son, when we find the cave. I'm 'most certain that the hant won't show himself to us, for he'll be down the road somewhere, looking for the letter you lost yesterday; but if he does come out, you just say, 'six thousand dollars' to yourself, and walk right into him with the bird-shot that's in your gun."

"And what'll you be doing?" queried Dan.

"Oh, I'll be there, and I'll shoot, too," replied Silas; and a stranger would have thought that he was a man who never got frightened at anything.

Just then Joe came to the door of the cabin and shouted, "Breakfast!" and that put a stop to the conversation. There was little said while they were seated at the table, for they were all busy with their own thoughts. Silas and Dan wished from the bottom of their hearts that the day was over, and that the robbers' treasure was safely stowed away in a hiding-place of their own selection. Wouldn't they make good use of some of it before many hours had passed away?

"That Joe of our'n feels mighty peart this morning," thought Dan, glancing at his brother's radiant face. "He thinks he's smart because he is going to earn a hundred and twenty dollars; but what would he think of himself if he knew that I am going to have six thousand dollars before night comes? Now I'll tell you what's a fact," added Dan, who was firmly resolved that he would not come home empty-handed. "When we get that money I'll make pap count out my share at once, and then I'll take care to see that he don't know where I hide it. He'll bear a heap of watching, pap will."

"I wonder what has come over Dan all on a sudden?" said Joe, to himself. "I don't know when I have seen him look so pleasant before. He's got an idea of some kind in his head, and if I am not constantly on my guard I shall hear from him to my sorrow I wonder if there's another boy in the world who has a brother as mean as Dan is?"

The latter, who was impatient to begin the serious business of the day and get through with it, and have it off his mind, did not eat a very hearty breakfast. He simply took the sharp edge off his appetite, and then pushed back his chair and arose from the table.

Silas groaned inwardly, for now the ordeal was coming. He would have been glad to put it off a little longer, but he knew that if he did he would be accused of cowardice. Everything depended upon keeping up Dan's courage. If the boy saw the least sign of faltering, the whole matter, so far as he was concerned in it, would end then and there. He would refuse to take a step toward the cave, and no amount of money would have tempted Silas to go there alone. So he got upon his feet, took down his gun and game-bag, and followed Dan out of the cabin.

Joe looked through the window without leaving his chair, and saw that they were striking a straight course for Mr. Warren's wood-lot.

"Now just watch them," said he, bitterly. "They're going to begin the slaughter of those English birds before I have time to get up there and order them away. I don't see why they can't lend me a helping hand, instead of trying by every means in their power to get me into trouble. But I told Dan yesterday, that if I caught him in Mr. Warren's woods I would report him, and he will find that I meant every word of it. I shall not try to shield them any more than I would if they were utter strangers to me. Good-by, mother; I must be off; I am sorry to see you look so downhearted and sorrowful when you ought to be smiling and happy, but I will do everything I can to bring about a different state of affairs. You'll get the money I earn, in spite of all that father and Dan can do to prevent it; you may depend upon that."

"It isn't the money I care for, Joe," said Mrs. Morgan between her sobs.

"I know it," replied Joe, hastily. "You want father and Dan to behave themselves, and let me alone. So do I; and if they won't do it, I'll make them."

Joe caught up the small bundle of clothing that had been made ready for him while he was setting the table, shouldered his long, single-barreled gun, kissed his mother good-by, and hurried away.

He did not follow directly after his father and Dan, but took a short cut through the woods, and, at the end of an hour, had his first look at the snug little cabin that was to be his home during the winter—that is, if his brother or some other desperate poacher did not get mad at him and burn it down.

Mr. Warren's double team stood in front of the open door, and that gentleman and one of his hired men were busy transferring baskets and armfuls of things from the wagon to the interior of the cabin.

"Well, Joe, you're on hand bright and early," was the way in which Mr. Warren greeted his young game-warden, "and you are in light marching order, too," he added, glancing at the boy's bundle, and wondering at the size of it. "Mr. Hallet had to take one of his teams to move Tom and Bob up to their house."

"Tom and Bob?" repeated Joe.

"Yes. Oh, you didn't know that Hallet had hired them for wardens, did you? Well, he has; so you will have good neighbors, almost within reach of you."

"Why, what in the world possessed them—"

"What possesses them to do a thousand and one things that nobody else would ever think of," exclaimed, Mr. Warren, who knew what Joe was going to say. "It looks to me like a foolish notion, and I'll venture to say, that they will be glad enough to go home and stay there, after they have stood one snow-storm up here in the mountains. They came well prepared, though. They had two trunks, and they were full to the top. But I like your way the best. When you go into the woods, go light, even if you know that you are going to spend the most of your time in a permanent camp. Come in, and see if we have forgotten anything."

Joe followed Mr. Warren into the cabin, and listened attentively while he described the contents of the different bundles and baskets that were scattered about the floor.

"Your carpet is in there—it was made to fit, so you will not have any trouble with it—and in one of those baskets you will find a hammer and tacks to put it down with. I have brought a few books and papers, which will keep you busy until you can come down and make a selection from my library to suit yourself. This is your cot, and I guess the bedding is in there. That's a side of bacon, and here are your dishes and a supply of provisions. When you get out, come down to my house and ask for more."

As Mr. Warren spoke, he opened the door of a small safe that stood in one corner near the fire-place, and showed Joe an array of well-filled shelves. Among other things, there were a number of paper-bags, which gave promise of better meals than the boy was accustomed to sit down to at home.

"That door leads into your wood-shed, which I would advise you to fill up with the least possible delay," continued Mr. Warren, "and there's the axe to do it with. Hallet has given his nephew and that chum of his permission to shoot all the grouse and squirrels they can eat, and I will extend the same privilege to you; but you mustn't make a mistake and knock over one of my English partridges for your dinner. Of course, you know enough to shoot wolves, foxes, minks, and such varmints, without being told, and if you see a half-starved hound in these woods, hunting deer on his own hook, put a bullet into him without a moment's delay."

"You mean a charge of buck-shot," said Joe.

"No, I mean a bullet; and there's the rifle, right there," replied the gentleman, pointing to a Marlin repeater, which stood in the corner opposite the safe.

Mr. Warren continued to talk in this way, while the hired man was unloading the wagon, and when the last bundle had been carried into the cabin, he bade his game-warden good-by, and drove off leaving him to his reflections.